Electrically-controlled mechanism



Sept. 11, 1923. 1,467,704

M. J. BRIERTY ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed Sept. 11, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 11 23. 1,467,704

M. J. BRIERTY ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED MECHANI SM Filed Sept. 11; 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 llll L n a I Z/fira'er,

Sept. 11, 1923. 7 1,467,704

I M. J. BRlERTY Q ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed Sept. 11, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 11, 1923.

PATENT OFFICE.

. v MICHAEL J. BBIERTY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS;

ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED MECHAN Application flled september 11, 1922. Serial No. 587,466..

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, MICHAEL J. BmnR'rY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electrically-Controlled Mechanism, of which the following is a specifica tion.

My invention relates generally toelectrically controlled mechanism and more particularly to heat controlling apparatus having an electric controlling circuit; and my primary objects are to provide improved electrically controlled mechanism and to provide improved electrically controlled means for regulating the temperature of the atmosphere in a room or the like.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows, by a vertical broken sectional view, a building supplied with a heater or furnace equipped with draft and check doors or dampers controlled by electrical apparatus embodying my invention. Figure 2 is a plan .view of the main portion of the electricalapparatus forming a part of the structure shown-in Fig. 1. Figure 3 is a View in side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2; and Figure 4, a view of the electrical apparatus, shown diagrammatically with parts removed, together with a circuit controlling thermometer, this view illustrating the circuit connections.

My improved apparatus is designedto be used preferably in conjunction with a cir-.

cuit makingand breaking thermometer whereby electrical connections with the apparatus may be established and broken uni der the influence of changes in temperature I of the atmosphere surrounding the thermometer and thus the source of-heat supplied may be regulated to maintain approximately even temperature.

My improved apparatus. as shown, comprises a frame shown as formed of side plates 5 and6 extending parallel with each other and held together b transversely exported on the shafts 20, 21, 22 and 23 suitably 'journaled in the plates 5 and 6, one

end of the shaft 23, where it extends beyond the plate 5, being provided with a crank arm 24. The opposite end of the shaft 23 is provided with a metallic head 25 presenting radiating divergent, arms 26 and 27 provided with brushes 2S and 29 respectively, which extend from these arms in the same direction and generally parallel with the shaft 23, the brush 29 being located at a greater distance from the shaft 23 than the brush 28. The brush 2% cooperates with a pair of metallic segments 30 and 31 secured to the outer face of a disk 32 of insulating'material rigidly secured to the shaft 23. The segments 30 and 31 are secured. to this disk to be out of contact with each other, as shown in Fig. 3, and are sopositioned that in the rotation of the shaft 23, these segments will be successively moved across and in contact with the outer end of the brush 28. The brush 29 cooperates with a metal ring 33 secured to the outer face of the disk 32 and out of contact with. the segwhich project, beneath the vertical central opening of the solenoid. The core of the solenoid is represented at 37 and when the solenoid is deenergized, the core rests upon the bracket extension 36. The core 37, the

upper end of which is preferably of reduced diameter, as represented at 38, cooperates with a contact-making-and-breaking device formed ofa movable contact member 39,

which is preferably formed of a strip of flexible metal, as for example copper, se-

cured to a bracket 40 on the plate 5- and insulated therefrom; and a pair of contact arms 41 and 42 preferably of spring strip metal, which are located "above and below, respectively, the movable contact 39 for alternating engagement with the latter. The contact strlps 41 and 42 are rigidly secured to a bracket 43 carried by the plate 6 and insulated therefrom and from each other by insulation as shown.

In Fig. 1, the apparatus is shown as applied to a furnace 44 located in a basement and supplying heat to a room above it. The furnace illustrated has a check door 45 and a draft door 46 connected together b a chain 47, extending over pulleys 48 an 49 journaled on the furnace structure, the length of the chain 47 being suchas to cause one door to be open when the other is closed.

' The apparatus shown in Figs. 2 and 3 would be supported in any desirable manner ad-- of a desirable construction and comprising three contact points 51, 52 and 53, extending into the path of the mercury contained in the bulb 54 and tube 55 of the thermometer, the contact points 51, 52 and 53 being connected, respectively, with buttons 56, 57 and 58 insulated from each other. The thermometer also comprises a movable contactfinger 59 pivoted at 60 and adaptedto be swung into engagement-with any one of the .buttons 56, 57 and 58.

The electrical connectiohs'between the parts described and the thermometer and the source of current supply are as follows: The two wires, through which current is supplied to the apparatus, are represented at 61 and 62, the wire 61 being connected with the movable contact 39 andalso with one of the terminals 63 of the solenoid 34. The wire 62 connects, by a wire 64, with one of the terminals of themotor 9 and, by a wire 65, with the contact-finger 59. The other terminal of the motor connects, by a wire 66, with the ring 33. The segment 31 connects, by a wire 67 ,-with the contact strip 41 and the segment 30 connects, by a wire 68, with the contact strip 42. The other terminal of the solenoid 34 connects, by a wire 69, with the mercury in the bulb 54.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Assuming the contact-finger 59 of the thermometer to be in contact with the button 57, as shown, and the mercury in the.

bulb 54 and tube 55 to have just made connection with the contact 52, an electric circuit is established through the solenoid 34 by way of the wires 62 and 65, contact-finger 59, button 57, contact point 52, the mercury, wires 69 and 63 and wire 61 with the result of elevating the core 37 of the solenoid and lifting the other end of the contact member 39 out of engagement with the contact strip 42 and into engagement with the contact strip 41, the outer, free, end of the member 39 flexing upwardly at the portion thereof beyond the contact 41. This results in closmg the circuit through the motor 9 through the following described circuit: wires 62 and 64, motor 9, wire 66, ring 33, arms 26 and 27 to segment 31 (the head 25 being in a position diagrammatically opposed to that shown in Fig. 4), wire 67, contact strip 41, contact strip 39 and thence to the wire 61. In'this condition of the parts, the draft door 46 is open, and the check door is closed, and the operation of the motor 9, by establishing the circuit just described, operates to rotate the shaft 23 throughout one-half of a revolution, thereby closing the draft door 46 and opening the check door 45. The current through the motor 9 is automatically arrested upon its rotating the shaft 23 throughout one-half of a revolution, by the movement of the short arm 26 of the head 25, in rotating in clockwise direction in Fig. 4, out of engagement with the segment 31,

namely, the position shown in Fig. 4, it being observed that this short arm when the motor stops is in engagement with the segment 30.

As long as the mercury of the thermometer is in engagement with the contact 52, the

I solenoid 34 remains energized and the motor 9 remains at rest. .As soon, however, as the mercury descends out of engagement with the contact 52, the circuit through the solenoid-34'is broken,'whereupon its core 37 descends, permitting the contact 39 to disengage from the contact 41 and engage with the contact 42, whereupon the motor 9 is again operated to rotate the shaft 23 onehalf of a revolution, with the result of opening the draft door 46 and closing the check door 45; the circuit connections by which the motor is thus energized being as follows: from wire 62 to wire 64, motor 9, wire 66, ring 33, arm 27, arm 26, segment 30, wire 68, contacts 42 and 39 to wire 61. The rotation of the shaft 23 throughout onehalf of a revolution from thecposition shown in Fig.4, ,as stated, operates to move the short arm 26 of the head 25 out of engagement with the segment 30 and into engagement with the segment 31, thereby breaking the circuit through the motor 9 and so positioning the parts that as soon as the contact 39 is moved into engagement with the contact 41 through the energizing of the solenoid 44, by means of the mercury engaging the contact 52, a circuit will be established through the motor 9 for operating it as above stated, these various alternating operations continuing throughout the use of the apparatus and serving to maintain a substantially uniform temperature in the room supplied with heat from the furnace, it being understood that by providing a plurality of contact points for engagement with the mercury at different levels, the operator may set the apparatus to maintain any desired temperature.

It will be readily understood from the that of providing the flexible contact strip 39. This feature is of advantage where alternating current is used, as during the is prevented.

While I have illustrated and described aparticular construction embodying my in: vention, I -do notwish to be understood as intending to limit .it thereto, as the same may be modified and altered without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with a source of electric current, of an electric motor, a shaft driven from the motor, a contact-makingand-breaking device constructed and arranged to make and break circuit under changes in the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding it, a solenoid controlled by the position of said device, the core of said solenoid being operated in one direction when the solenoid is energized and automatically movable in the opposite direction when the solenoid is de-energized. a second electrical contact device actuated by said core, and a third electrical contact device actuated from said motor and the flow of current to which is controlled by said second contact device, said second and third contact devices being constructed and arranged to intermittently direct the current from said source through the motor to produce partial successive rotations of said shaft in the same direction under variations in ranged to make and break circuit under changes in the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding it, a solenoid controlled by the position of said device, the core of said solenoid being operated in one direction when the solenoid is energized and automati-cally movable in the opposite direction when the solenoid is de-energized. a second electrical contact deviceactuated ,by said core and comprising'a pair of spaced contacts and a third contact movable from one to the other of said'pair of contacts in the movement of said core in opposite directions, and a third electrical contact device.

actuated from said motor, said second and third contact devices being constructed and arranged to intermittently direct the current from said source through the motor to produce partial successive rotations of said shaft in the same direction under variations in temperature of the atmosphere surrounding said last-referred-to device.

3. The combipation withfa source of electric current, of'an electric motor, a shaft driven from the motor, a contact-making and-breaking device constructed and arranged to make and break circuit under changes in the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding it, a solenoid controlled by the position of said device, the core of said solenoid being operated in one direction when the solenoid is energized and automatically movable in the opposite direction when the solenoid is de-energized, a second electri al contact device actuated by said core, and comprising a pair of spaced contacts and a third resilient contact movable from one to the other of said pair of contacts in the movement of said core in opposite directions, and a third electrical contact device actuated from said motor, said second and third contact devices being constructed and arranged to intermittently direct the current from said source through the motor to produce partial successive rotations of said shaft in the'same direction under variations in temperature of the atmosphere surrounding said last-referred-to device.

4. The/combination with a source of electric current, of an electric motor, ashaft" driven from the motor, a contact-makingand-breaking device constructed and ar ranged to malie and break circuit under changes in the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding it, a solenoid controlled by the position of said device, the core of said solenoid being operatedin one direction when the solenoid is energized and automatically movable in'the opposite direction when the solenoid is tie-energized, a second electri cal contact device actuated by said core and comprising a pair of spaced contacts and' a third resilient contact member located be-. tween said pair of contacts and extending beyond the latter at which portion it is engaged.

y said core, said resilient contactmember being movable from one to the otherlof said pair of contacts in the movement of said core in opposite directions, and a third elec.-'

trical contact device actuated from said motor, said second and third contact devices be ing constructed and arranged to intermittently direct the current from said source through the motor to produce partial successive rotations of said shaft in the same direction under variations in temperature ofthe atmosphere surrounding said last-re erred-to device.

5. The combination with a source of electric current, of an electric motor, a shaft] driven from the motor,-a contact-makingand-breaking device constructed and arranged to make and break circuit under changes in the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding it, a substantially vertically disposed solenoid controlled by the position ofsaid device, the core of said solenoid being lifted when the solenoid is energized and descending to normal position when the solenoid is de-energized, a second electrical contact device actuated by said core, and a third electrlcal contact device actuated from 7 said motor ,and the flow of current to which is controlled by said second contact device, said second and third contact devices being constructed and arranged to intermittently direct the current from said source through the motor to produce partial successive rotations of said shaft in the same direction under variations in temperature-of the atmosphere surrounding said last-referred-to device.

6. The combination with a source of electric current, of an electric motor, a shaft driven from the motor, a contact-makingand-breaking device constructed and arranged to make and break circuit under changes in the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding it, a second contactdesaid-vring and segments, said ring and seg ments and said contact elements cooperatin therewith being relatively rotatable, the sai secondand third contact devices being constructed and arranged to intermittently di- 7 rect the current from said source through. the

motorto produce-partial successive rotations of saidshaft in the same direction under variations in temperature of the atmosphere surrounding said last-referred-to device.

7. The combination with a source of electric current, of an electric motor, a shaft driven from the motor, a contact-makingand-breaking device constructed and arranged to make and break circuit under changes in the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding it, a substantially vertically disposed solenoid controllcd by the position of said device, the core of said solenoid being lifted when the solenoid is energized and descending by gravity to normal position when the solenoid is decnergized, a sec- 0nd electrical contact device comprising a pair of spaced contacts anda third contact located between and movable into engagement with said pair of contacts alternately, said third contact in the normal position of said core engaging one of said pair of con- 'tacts, and a third electrical contact device actuated by said motor and comprising a ring of current-conducting material, segments of current-conducting material insulated from each other and from said ring and acontact element cooperating with said ring and segments, said ring and segments and said lastreferred-to contact cooperating therewith being relatively rotatable, said ring being in circuit with said motor and said segments be- .ing in circuit respectively with the said pair of contacts, the whole being constructed andf arranged to intermittently direct the current from said source through the motor to produce partial successive rotations of said shaft in the same direction under variations in temperature of the atmosphere surrounding said last-referred-to device.

" MICHAEL J. BRIERTY. 

